In a variety of consumer packaging applications, paperboard or cardboard containers must be capable of being safely stacked during storage and transit. Thus, a paperboard liner is often inserted into a slightly larger container to impart vertically oriented structural support to the larger container. Paperboard liners are typically cut from long rolls of paperboard into rectangular sections. Each such rectangular section, which is commonly referred to as a "blank," is formed into a four-sided tubular shape for insertion into a slightly larger container.
In many consumer packaging applications, it is also important to have paperboard containers which are capable of being conveniently, yet securely, opened and reclosed repeatedly. This is particularly important where the container or carton is used for storage of granular or powdered material, such as laundry detergent powder.
One exemplary recloseable carton and liner design uses a liner within the carton and a carton lid which hingedly attaches to the back panel of the base of the carton. In such packages or containers, an integral tear strip is generally used to permit the opening of the lid. The lid is separated from the base section of the carton by removing the tear strip and lifting the lid up. Subsequently, the carton is reclosed by pushing the lid back down to its original position.
Conventional recloseable carton and liner assemblies of the above-identified type suffer from disadvantages which severely restrict their use in certain consumer packaging applications, particularly where the packaged product constitutes granular or powdered material such as concentrated laundry detergent powder or the like. The present inventor has discovered that a major drawback in this regard is the general absence of a positive locking arrangement in combination with a carton design which is conducive to repeated open and reclose operations. More specifically, the previously discussed exemplary design has been found to be unacceptable in certain applications because of the likelihood of the lid opening by itself an leading to spillage of the contents thereof when such a closed carton is tipped over or otherwise disposed at an acute angle.
The present inventor has also discovered that such recloseable carton and liner assemblies can be improved by providing some form of positive indication, either tactile or audible, that an opened carton has been reclosed adequately in order to realize an effective locking position. It has been determined in this regard that the presence of such tactile or audible feedback indicative of effective locking is desirable because the presence thereof provides consumers with a high "comfort" factor with respect to reclosure. Particularly in applications where the recloseable cartons are used to contain liquids or to house granulated material having a restricted storage life once the storage container has been torn open, such positive feedback has been determined to provide an apparent sense of reassurance to consumers as to retention of "safety", "freshness", or scent of the contained product.
Accordingly, there exists a distinct need for a recloseable, flip-top carton and liner design which overcomes disadvantages of the above type associated with conventional recloseable paperboard carton and liner assemblies. The present invention effectively and conveniently realizes such a recloseable carton and liner assembly.